Intersubjective evidential constructions based on verbs referring to the addressee. The case of "vedi"/"vede"/"vedete"+"che"

Abstract

A study of various corpora of spoken Italian shows that present indicative forms of vedere+che regularly convey evidential meanings. These range from direct perception to repeated experience and inference based on visual and non-visual clues. This is true also of forms referring to the addressee. These express intersubjective sources by means of the generic reading of the 2nd person singular or by means of evidential implicatures. Such implicatures lead to an extension of reference from an experience made by the addressee during the interaction to an experience shared by the speaker-addressee dyad. A salient property of the latter's in situ intersubjective uses is that the speaker claims epistemic primacy. This applies to asymmetrical situations such as, for instance, classroom interaction, but also occurs in symmetrical interactions, where it emphasizes the speaker's persuasive commitment.